Razorbacks release 2014 football schedule

Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema answers a question during an NCAA college football media day in Fayetteville, Ark., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013. Bielema is in his first year as head coach for the team. (AP Photo/April L. Brown)

The Arkansas Razorbacks released their 2014 football schedule Wednesday morning, and it has a few twists.

Gone is the traditional Thanksgiving weekend matchup against LSU, in its place a trip to Missouri. The Tigers, members of the Southeastern Conference’s East Division, replace South Carolina as Arkansas’ annual opponent from the division. Arkansas and South Carolina had been annual opponents since both joined the SEC in 1992.

In another first since joining the SEC, Arkansas will begin the season with a conference opponent when it travels to Auburn on Aug. 30. It will mark the first time since 1999 that the Razorbacks will start the year on the road.

“The 2014 football season will mark a new chapter for Razorback football in the Southeastern Conference,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long said in the release. “From opening ht season with an SEC game to concluding the regular season against new conference rival Missouri, the 2014 schedule will provide Razorback fans plenty of intriguing matchups throughout the season, including seven home games in Arkansas.”

The schedule also includes a game against a Southland Conference opponent, but it’s not UCA. Instead, the Razorbacks will welcome Nicholls State as its home opener Sept. 6.

Other home games are against Northern Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, UAB, LSU and Ole Miss.

The Razorbacks renew their meeting with Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium, home to the Dallas Cowboys, on Sept. 27. The two teams played in Arlington from 2009-11 before agreeing to a home-and-home series for 2012 and 2013 when the Aggies joined the SEC prior to 2012. The 2014 game is the start of an 11-year agreement between the conference opponents to meet in Arlington.

In addition to road games against Auburn and Missouri, the Razorbacks will travel to play Texas Tech and Mississippi State.

The schedule also includes bye weeks Oct. 4, before facing Alabama, and Nov. 8 before LSU.

The home games include five games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, and two games at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, although the specific home game locations were not released Wednesday.

“Next season marks a new beginning in college football with the addition of the College Football Playoff,” head coach Bret Bielema said in the release. “Our 2014 schedule features quality non-conference opponents in addition to a strong slate of SEC games, which will be a positive for us and allow us to focus on one game at a time. We are excited about the challenge the 2014 schedule brings but are more excited to start the 2013 season next week.”

The Razorbacks begin year one under Bielema when the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns come to Fayetteville on Aug. 31. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. with broadcast on FSN.